Portable massaging apparatus



March 18, 1958' 'R. ORTHWINE PORTABLE MASSAGING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 12, 1956 e m m A 7 b N 5 A M 1% A kw J J P7-- F T--- m A. .T... l... my mw m g mm \m A w W mm @J PM AA 11 i I I i w X M Z. A Q l i- Viv Q A {s wx W .B L\ Q a W $0 t i i m I m //v/ A A w A AM Q Q QM M Qm m w M I- United States Patent PORTABLE MASSAGING APPARATUS Rudolph Orthwine, New York, N. Y.

Application December 12, 1956, Serial No. 627,911

1 Claim. (Cl. 128-33) This invention relates to a portable massaging apparatus which is especially adapted for home use.

it is well known that muscular aches and pains can be greatly alleviated, if not eliminated, by massaging or rubhing the afiiicted parts of the body. This is due to the heat and static electricity generated by the massaging, and for the best results the massage must be applied to the body with considerable pressure so that the heat and electricity generated will penetrate deep into the body.

Massaging machines which are only adapted for use in hospitals and doctors ofiices and which require an operating attendant are available, but at the present time there are no massaging machines available which are adapted for home use and can be used, without an attendant, by a person to massage an afflicted part of his body with considerable pressure.

it is therefore the principal object of this invention to provide a simple, efiicient, and inexpensive portable massaging apparatus which is especially adapted for home use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a massaging apparatus of the aforesaid character which is so constructed and arranged that the weight of the person using the apparatus supplies the pressure with which the ma ing element engages the area being massaged.

Still another object of the invention is to provide in a massaging apparatus of the aforesaid character means by which the pressure between the massaging element and the body of a user can be varied and adjusted as desired.

in accordance with my invention I provide a flat body support upon which a person reclines during massaging. This body support comprises a shallow rectangular frame thevupper end of which is closed by a cover plate having a supporting pad secured thereto. The cover plate and pad are provided with a substantially centrally located rectangular opening within which a massaging element is reciprocally and vertically adjustably mounted. The massaging element, which consists of a woolen rubbing pad and a pad plate to which the rubbing pad is removably secured, is removably secured to a carriage which is reciprocally mounted in a vertically adjustable but otherwise stationary frame. The carriage and with it the massaging element are adapted to be reciprocated back and forth by a cylindrical cam having right and left hand cam grooves in which a cam follower secured to the under-- side of the carriage rides. The cam is rotated by a conventional electric motor having an inbuilt speed reducer and a flexible driving cable which connects the speed reducer to the cam shaft.

For operation the apparatus is placed upon a bed or couch or other suitable support. The patient then reclines upon the body support with the afflicted part of his body in contact with the massaging element while the massaging element is reciprocating. The patients weight upon the massaging element provides the requisite pressure of the massaging element against his body. This pressure may be varied as desired by adjusting the carriage frame up or down.

2,827,044 Patented Mar. 18, 1958 The principal objects of the invention having been stated other and more limited objects of the invention will be apparent from the following specification and the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a portable massaging apparatus constructed according to my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional View taken on the line q e s of Fig. 5.

Referring now to the drawings by reference characters the numeral 1 indicates generally a portable massaging apparatus constructed according to my invention. The apparatus comprises a rectangular vertically disposed housing frame 2 having a body supporting top 3 secured to the upper end thereof and which is provided with a soft pad 4, preferably of foam rubber. The top 3 and pad 4 are provided with an elongated rectangular aperture 5 in which a massaging element 6 is reciprocally mounted. A pair of opposed spaces parallel supporting guideways 7 are mounted within the housing 2 and extend from side to side thereof, one on each side of the aperture 5. The guideways 7 are L shaped in cross section and each comprises a horizontally disposed bottom rail 8 and a vertically disposed side rail 9.

A rectangular adjusting slide 10 is slidably mounted upon the bottom rail 8 between the side rails 9. The slide 10 comprises the two spaced parallel wedge shaped side members 11 which are connected together at one end thereof by the cross member 12 and at the other end thereof by the cross member 13. The slide 10 is adapted to be moved back or forth upon the rails 8 by an elongated screw 14 which extends through an internally threaded bushing 15 carried by the cross member 12. The screw 14 is rotatably mounted in a sleeve 16 which extends through the side 17 of the housing 2. A hand wheel 18 by which the screw 14 may be manually rotated is secured to the outer end of the screw 14.

A rectangular carriage frame, generally indicated by the numeral 2a, is mounted upon the adjusting slide 10. The frame 210 comprises the two spaced parallel side members 21 which are connected together at each end thereof by the cross members 22. As shown the lower inclined edges of the side members 21 of the frame 26 rest upon the upper inclined edges of the side members 11 of the shde it). The side members 21 are provided with outwardly extending tongues 23 which slidably engage complimentary vertical grooves 24 in the side rails 9. The frame 2% is thus restrained against longitudinal movement but permitted vertical movement. From the foregoing it will be apparent that longitudinal movement of the adjusting slide 10 will impart vertical movement to the carriage frame 29.

A carriage 25 is reciprocally mounted in the frame 20 between the side members 21 and extends up into the aperture 5. The carriage 25 comprises the top 26 and the sides 27 which extend downwardly therefrom and are provided with outwardly extending tongues 28 which slidably engage grooves 29 in the opposed faces of the side members 21 of the carriage frame 20. The massaging element 6 which comprises the rubbing pad 30 and the pad plate 31 is removably secured to the top 26 of the carriage 25 as indicated at 52.

The carriage 25 and with it the massaging element 6 are adapted to be reciprocated during operation by a cylindrical cam 35 having the right and left hand cam j 2,827,044 r V grooves 36in which a cam follower 37 secured to the underside of the carriage top 26 rides. mounted upon a shaft 38 which is rotatably supported by bearing brackets 39 secured to and extending between the side member 21 of the carriage frame 20'be1ow'the groovesifi'therein, The shaft 38 extends out through a verticallyfielongated aperture 40 in the side 41 of the housing'2 and is connected by a flexible shaft or cable 42 to a speed reducer 43 which is built into a conventional electric motor 44. V

In use the apparatus 1 isplaced upon a bed, couch or other suitable horizontal support, with the motor 44 on an adjacent table or on-the floor. The patent then reclines on the pad 4 with the afilicted part of his body againstthe massaging element 6. The weight of the patients body upon the massaging element 6 provides the requisite pressure between the massagingelement 6. and the area of the patients body being massaged. As the messaging element is reciprocated back and forth against the patients' body heat and static electricity are generated which will penetrate deep into the section of the body being massaged. The heat and electricity generated and the depth of penetration are dependent upon the pressure of the massaging element against the body. This pressure can be regulated as desired by changing the position of the adjusting slide 10 which will adjust the vertical position of the massaging element 6 in the aperture 5 with respect to the top of the pad 4. From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided a very simple and efficient portable massaging apparatus which is especially adapted for home use, and which can be conveniently stored when not in use It is to be understood that I am not limited to the specific construction shown and described herein as vari- The cam '35 is r ous modifications may be made therein within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claim: For instance various other means for reciprocating and vertically adjusting the massaging element 6 could be substituted for that shown. could be moved in an orbital path instead of a straight back and forth reciprocal path.

I claim: t

A portable massaging apparatus adapted for home use and comprising arectangular shallow housing adapted to he placed upon a bed or couch, a body support secured to the upper end of said housing, an aperture in said support, a pair of opposed spaced parallel guideways mounted in said housing one on each side of said aperture, a wedge shaped adjusting slide slidably supported by and between said guideways, a wedge shaped carriage frame supported by said adjusting slide betweensaid guideways, means restraining said carriage frame against References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,427,053 Hampton Sept. 9, 1 947 2,534,587 Fisher Dec. 19, 1950 2,666,429

Also the massaging element 6 Alexander Jan. 19, 1954 i 

